Mine-car lubrication.



J. A. MGCASKELL.

MINE GAR LUBRIGATION.

APPLIOATION FILED AUG. 9, 1912.

1,1 05,363. Patented July 28,1914.

J- f I /NI/ENTo/e v bushing, C, said bushing having perforaoutwardly through the outer side of the hubl JASPER A. MCCASKELL, 0F SALT LAKE CITY, UTAH.

MINE-GAR LUBEIGATION.

incassa.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented July 28, 1914.

Application filed August 9, 1912. Serial No. 714,187.

To all whom t may concern Be it known that I, JAsPER A. MoCAs- KELL, a citizen of the United States, residing at LSalt LakeCity, in the county of Salt Lake and State of Utah, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Mine- Car Lubrication, of which the following is a specification. f

This invention relates especially to minecar-lubrication, and it consists of the improved lubricating mine-car wheelv which I will hereinafter fully describe and claim.

In the accompanying drawings forming part of this specification and in which similar reference characters indicate like parts in the several views, Figure l is a vertical section of a mine-car wheel embodying my invention. Fig. 2 is an elevation of the same. Fig. 3 is a sectional view of the exterior cap removed. Fig. l is 'an elevation of the cap of Fig. Fig. 5 is an enlarged vertical section of the hub-portion of the wheelv showing a means for subjecting the lubricating oil to pressure.

In carrying out my invention, I take a mine-car or other wheel, A, of any suitable construction, size and design and form the same with an enlarged chamber, B, which surrounds the central opening, A, and which opening is counterbored to receive a tions, o, made radially through it and communicating with the enlarged lubricant,- containing chamber, B, whereby oil or other lubricating material may be constantly fed to the axle, uponwhich the wheel turns.

The axle, D, is of any well known construction and has its journal end, cl, fitting the bushing, C, and projecting beyond'the outer side of the wheel and adapted to re ceive a split key or Cotter-pin, E,'or equivalent device by which `the axle may be locked to a washer, F, andthe wheel thereby retained in place on the journal-end of the axle.

At the inner end of the bushing is arranged a suitable cup washer, G, which fits snugly around the shaft and has its open side presented toward .the annular lubricant-containing chamber, B, said washer adapted to prevent the escape of oilv in that direction. j

The annular chamber which surrounds the bushing, C, may be of any suitable di thereof.

mensions, and leading vfrom this chaniberl of the wheel is a pipe, H, to which is fitted a stop-cock, I, of some appropriate type andv which is adapted to be closed after oil has been forced through said pipe into the chamber, B, surrounding the bushing. The pipe is designed to be connected to some suitable source of pressure supply and to this end compressed air may be utilized so that when the oil or other lubricating material is admitted to the chamber it is under considerable pressure and the air in this chamber. will be forced to the upper portion The stop-cock, I, is now closed and the contained air in the chamber is held under pressure and the pressure of this air is employed for forcibly feeding oil through the perforations in the bushing and to the journal portion of the axle, thereby automatically lubricating the latter.

The outer end of the hub-portions of the wheel is yprovided with annular flanges,.J, which are undercut as shown at j, and are separated from each other to form spaces, K, to admit correspondinglugs, or flanges,

L, projecting from the circumference of a suitable cap, M, of segmental form in crosssection adapted to fit over and form a closure for the outer end of the bushing and end of the axle, said lugs, L, and the walls of the undercut portion of the flanges, J, being preferably cam-shaped so that when the cap is given a partial rotation after its lugs have been entered into thel spaces, K,Vbe

tween the oppositely placed flanges or lugs, L, the cam-surfaces of the lugs and flanges will ride in contact with each other and the cap will be wedged into close contact with the outer face of the hub portion of the wheel. j

In the inner face of the cap near the periphery thereof is formed an annular groove adapted to receive a gasket l, of rubber, or likey material, and the opposing face of the hub portion of the wheel is provided with a like annular groove, whereby when the cap is inserted and turned axially in the manner before stated, the gasket, 1, will be tightly pressed against the face of the hub to thereby make the joint between the capl and the hub absolutely air-tight. To hold these parts in an intimately locked condition and against. any possibility of the cap turning backwardly to open the joint and destroy its air-tight character, one of the lugs on the cap is provided with a series of serrations or teeth, m, as shown in Fig. 4:, or some similar arrangement adapted to be engaged by a springpressed dog, a, as shown in Fig.- 3, the said serrations or teeth serving as a ratchet and the dog Vserving as piaWl rfor engaging the same and holding the cap rigidly to the wheel, said cap havin-g at its center a square ormany-sidedprojection, N, adapted to receive a Wrench or like tool whereby the cap may be Vturned reversely to tiiiiook the eat ein permit of ite oietiieiimeot from the Wheeh'the inner face of the cap is chamber'e'd so thatitvvill act as a receiver for any yoil `which vmay escape outwardly past the journal. y

e Referring particularly to Fig; 5' it y'vill be observed that the chamber surrounding the bushing and inte which .the oil is admitted, under pressure, is intersected byV a passage, 0, which is bored through the hut of the Wheel and in this passage is'mounted an appropriate spring-operated plunger, P, which is`herein' sh'oyv'n 'as comprising a suitable cupleather packing', g5, inclo'sjed between tivo metallic or other Washers',- R, saidivashers and f cap-leather' being centrally pierced to recei've a threaded rod, S, to the-inner end of which is' secured a nut, T, adapted' to clamp the cup-leather securely between said vva'shers. i

The roei, s, extends outwardly throogii e bushing er threaded nut, U, mounted 1n the outer elia of the passage and forming a olosure therefor,e and between this bushing or nut, and one of the Washers, R, is confined a" suitable coil spring', l/ 4The rod is threaded at its outer end and this threaded portion extends through a corresponding hole in the bushingl or nut, and beyond the, same, the projecting portion beingleiigaged by a nut, V, which. isheld to the rod' by means of a ctterpin, 4,01" like securing element. The tension ofthe spring maybeadjusted at any tii'ne by the proper turning `of the nut, V, iipoii the threaded tod, s, Said iiiit setting',

i also, as an indicator of the condition' of the oil iny the oilchamber of the Wheel', and nor- 'really standing about one-hair inet above the outer surface of thevbushing, U.

In practice, the oil under pressure is forced into the hub threughthe sto"`co'cl', I, and the" pressureV in the oil cham er acts upon the spring-,pressed piston to force the same oiitifveiaiy against the tensionofthe Spring, W, .and at the same time moving t erod, S, tiioi foioiii'g the mit thereon outwardly iiiitii it stands' about one-half inch'y beyond the outer face ofthe bushing, vvliic'h position the parts ivill'i'einain until tie pressure of the oil in the' chambenA, isredueed, when thel spring expands and the piston moves in wertuy and thereby withdraws the roei and iiiit relatively' to the iiieea tiiehieg, thev not lits position relatively tothe outer side of the1 bushing indicating when' more oil is requiredA i journal as before described.

The oil 'under pressure completely surrounds the axle and is maintained around said axle by means of the cup-leather G, lo

cated at the' inner end ofthe bushing and I surrounding the journal portion Aof the axle, and by the chambered-cap Which is hermeti= cally locked over the outer end of the axle. Thus the oil is prevented from escaping in both directions and there is consequently no loss of oil and there is also an effective and automatic lubrication forthe pressure in the oil chamber forces the oil through the per forations in the bushing and intov contact With the journal end of the axle.` y

1t is quite apparent that the spring-actuated p'iston may be omitted Without departing from the spirit of my invention as' the air under pressure when admitted to the chamber formed about the center ofthe Wheel Will compress the contained airy in the upper portion of this chamber; after 1 the supply of oil has been cut oil and the valve closed, this trapped air' Will expand as the pressure of voil decreases, and consequently there Will be` an' automatic force feed of the oil through the .bushing to the The employment ofethe spring-actuated.plunger Will,

` lioivevenfacilitate the feed of the oil as the spring of the plunger Will serve as an auxiliary lmeans for applyingpressure to the oil admitted to the chamber. My invention, therefore, comprehends the employment of compressed air anda spring orother mechanical means for maintaining` a pressure on the oil and insuring the automatic feed to the journal end of the axle.

Having thus described my invention What Iclaini as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is l. The combination With an axle, of a Wheel lhaving a central opening and an en# larged lubricant-containing chamber surf rounding the same, al bushing fitted to said opening havingI perforations 'connecting with said chamber, a valve-controlled pipe fr conducting lubricant under' pressure to said ehamber, a cup-Washer at one endof the bushing forming a tight-joint against the escape of oil -along the 'axle in one direction and a cap, detachably fitted to the outer side of the hub and forming' air-tightclosure for the outer end of the bushing and axle.

y 2. The. combination with an axle, of a Wheel having va central opening, andan eniarged lubriottntcontaining chamber stir- 'rounding the same, a bushing fitted to said opening having perforations connecting lWith said chamber, a valVe-eontr'olled pipe for conducting lubricant under pressure to said chamber, a cup Washer at one end ofthe biishingforniihg a tight joint against the escape of oil along the axle in one direction, 'and a cap detachably fitted to the outer side of the hub and frming an air=`tight closure for the outer end of the bushing and axle, said cap having lugs projecting from its periphery and said wheel havingzundercut flanges with open spaces therebetween and adapted to interlock with the lugs on the cap when said cap is given a partial rotation, one of the said lugs of the cap having a ratchet surface and said wheel having a pawl to engage said surface to positively lock the cap to the wheel.

3. The combination with an axle, of a wheel having a central opening, and an enlarged lubricantcontaining chamber surrounding the same, said wheel having undercut flanges projecting from the outer face of its hub with open spaces between the flanges, a bushing fitted to said central opening having perforations connecting with said chamber, a valve-controlled pipe for conducting lubricant under pressure to said chamber, a washer at one end of the bushing, forming a tight joint against the escape of oil along the axle in one direction, a cap detachably fitted to the outer side of the hub of the wheel and formin an air-tight closure for the outer end o the bushing and axle, said cup having lugs projecting from its periphery adapted to enter the spaces between the flanges on the wheel and to interlock with these anges when the cap is given a partial rotation, one of the lugs of said cap having teeth formed 0n it, and a spring-pressed member of the wheel adapted to engage said teeth to thereby positively lock the cap to the wheel.

4. The combination with an axle, of a wheel having a central opening for the axle, and having a chamber surrounding the same and adapted to cont-ain oil under pressure, a bushing fitted to said opening having openings through it connecting with said chamber, a cup-washer surrounding the axle and abutting one end of the bushing, and a cap detachably fixed to the hub of the wheel and forming substantially an air-tight closure over the outer end of the axle and bushing, said cap having a chambered inner face.

5. The combination with an axle, of a wheel mounted thereon, and having an internal chamber adapted to receive oil under pressure, said chamber having an extension from one side, a piston slidably mounted in said extension and exposed to the pressure of the oil therein, a bushing mounted-in and forming a closure for the outer end of the extension, a spring between the bushing and piston and normally held under compression by the pressure of the oil and operating expansively to maintain a pressure on the oil as the supply of oil .decreases and external means for adjusting the tension of said spring.

6. The combination with an axle, of a Wheel mounted thereon, a bushing fixed within the wheel and receiving the axle, a cup-washer at the inner end of the bushing, a detachable air-tight closure over the outer end of the bushing and axle, a pipe connecting with said chamber adapted to deliver oil under pressure thereto, said chamber having an extension at one side, a piston operating in said extension, and exposed to the oil pressure in the chamber and normally depressed under the action of said pressure, a spring backing the piston adapted to operate tov force the piston inwardly and maintain pressure on the oil as the supply of oil decreases, a rod connected with the piston and extending beyond the outer surface of the wheel, a bushing forming a closure for the outer end of said extension, and a nut on the outer end of the rod for adjusting the ten sion of the spring, said nut serving in connection with an adjacent portion of the wheel as a means for visually indicating the condition of the oil in the chamber.

7. The combination with an axle, of a wheel having a central opening and an enlarged lubricant-containing chamber surrounding the saine, said opening adapted to receive the journal end of the axle, a valve controlled pipe for conducting lubricant under pressure to said chamber, a cup washer confined in the hub of the wheel adapted to bear against the journal end of the axle to form a tight joint against the escape of oil along the axle in one direction, and a cap detachably fitted to the outer side of the hub of the wheel and forming an air tight closure for the outer end of said axle.

In testimony whereof I aiix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

JASPER A. MCCASKELL.

Witnesses:

D. J. KELLY, R. R. HUFFMAN.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for iive cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents Washington, D. C. 

